There's a bottomless supply of endless runners on mobile devices, but few games you would call a real platformer. Last year's Rayman Jungle Run was one of those rare few, and now it has a sequel: the salsa-tinged Rayman Fiesta Run. The new game doesn't mess with the formula too much, as your character will still run automatically, leaving you to focus on jumping and punching to avoid obstacles and collect all kinds of goodies.
Unlike mobile hits like Canabalt or Robot Unicorn Attack, Rayman isn't an endless game, but instead consists of a series of levels much like in a classic platforming adventure. The stages are short enough that you can beat several in just a few minutes, and their playful design means you won't hate having to replay when you die, or regret it if you want to check out a different path.
The playful design means you won't hate replaying levels
As you play you'll unlock not only new stages, but different characters to play as and bits of in-game art to peruse. Levels not only get harder as you progress, but also introduce crazy, delightful new ideas regularly — you'll be bouncing into the background on giant mushrooms and sliding down icy slopes. Fiesta Run's highlights are its boss stages, which feature massive, lumbering bad guys to avoid. Sometimes they'll simply be chasing you, waiting until you make a mistake, while in other stages they'll actually destroy the environment, forcing you to react quickly.
And of course, the game is absolutely gorgeous, with a new Mexican-inspired visual style that's brimming with color and life. Rayman Fiesta Run is available today on both iOS and Android (the previous game eventually made its way to Windows Phone as well). And while it may be a bit simpler than the platforming classics, it's the closest you'll get to Super Mario on your smartphone.